The best job in the world.
- page 3

Lets be honest here. Nurses love to whinge. And to be fair, we do have a lot to whinge about.
Pay, for example. It took me four years of university to gain a nursing degree. In that same time I...
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Im sorry, but where I work, we dont have time to get to know our patients like that. I barely have time to pass their medications let alone time to find out what new music is out there.... I go to my job to work, not socialize.... Health care first, socialization last.

MAN I'M I COLD or what? Wonder how I got this way.... oh yea..... I became a Nurse.
heheheh

Perhaps u need to realize part of health care and being a good nurse is socializing with your patient it not only to build trust with the patient but also gives u the ability to pick up on something you might not have otherwise recognized. I was always told when u get to that point it's time to make a change.

I am glad that you have found your niche. But being able to communicate with people is not the exclusive domain of nurses. It belongs to anybody who takes the time to listen. Enjoy the rest of your career but dont forget to give some credit to other people.

Not sure who the other people are that this person is forgetting to give credit to?

I like being a nurse too...it took me a while to settle down my nerves my first year and a half as a nurse, but now that I have more confidence and practice, I find that I can multi-task and have a conversation at the same time with my residents, and it makes my job more pleasant.

Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I'm currently relieving in the med centre in a small mining town. The other day a family presented with their three year old daughter who had a UTI and was commenced on Triprim. She then developed a generalised rash, the most bloodshot eyes I've ever seen, uncontrollable vomiting and was sleepy and lethargic to the point that she was really hard to rouse. She was floppy like a rag doll. After a phone consult with the Flying Doctor (we have no doctor here) the decision was made to transfer her by ambulance to the nearest largish hospital, 2 hours away by road. I took the attendant role, in the back of the ambulance with the child and her Mum and was so seriously concerned about this kid that I took the time to work out and record all the emergency drug doses I'd need if she crashed, and an intraosseous cannula just in case (she was peripherally shut down and we knew we had no chance of getting an IV in.)
Spent the whole trip watching and monitoring the child like a hawk, while at the same time trying to project a cheerful, competent and unconcerned attitude to the Mum who was naturally **** scared.
Next morning rang the hospital who said they'd decided it was a severe allergic reaction to the Triprim although she'd had several previous courses of it with no ill effects, and that they'd treated her with Prednisolone and she was much better.
Day after that, into the clinic bounces a little ball of manic energy who flings her arms around my neck, gives me a big kiss and says "You're the lovely nurse who looked after me in the big bus and I'm all better now! I've brought you a present!" and hands over a HUGE Cadbury's easter egg and chocolates. Her Mum then gave me the biggest hug and said "I could never have coped with that night without you. Every time I felt on the verge of panic I just looked at you all calm and smiling and just KNEW you weren't going to let anything bad happen."
So there it is folks- the reason we put up with all the other crappy stuff- moments like those.

Last edit by dianah on Apr 29, '11
: Reason: Terms of Service: use all *s

I am currently working as a continuous care hospice LPN. I love my job. If I'm really lucky, I get to work several shifts with the same patient. Getting to know the pt. and family really helps. I really like to be able to help the entire family. PatriceAK, Palm Coast, FL